Knockdown table



(No Model.)

F. BITTER.

KNOGKDOWN TABLE No. 561,612. Patented June 9, 1896.

muuu

WITNESSES. INVENTOR STATES ATENT FFICE.

FRANK RITTER, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK.

KNOCKDOWN TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,612, dated June 9,1896.

Applicati fil d January 8, 1896. Serial No. 574,235. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK RITTER, a resident of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Knockdown Tables; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact "description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make anduse the same.

The invention relates to so-called knockdown tables,and has for itsobject to improve their construction, and more particularly the meanswhereby the table-legs may be connected by a detachable shelf; and theinvention consists in the construction hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is 'a side elevation, parts beingbroken away.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of a shelf attachment and legs, partly brokenaway; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a leg and connected bracketdetached from the table.

The table-top 1 is supported upon several detachable legs 2, which maybe secured thereto by screws and thumb-nuts 3 in a wellknown manner. Toeach leg is fixed a bracket 4, extending inwardly from the leg in anapproximately horizontal plane and converging to a central situationbeneath the top. Near the inner end of each bracket are fixed one ormore pins or dowels 5.

6 denotes a shelf provided with sockets 7 to receive the pins 5 of thebrackets.

8 is a screw-retaining plate fixed to the bottom of the table in anyconvenient manner, and 9 is a screw whose head is held in a countersunkhole in the upper side of the plate 8 or in the bottom of the shelf.

The plate or piece 8 has a thickness less than that of the adjacent endsof the brackets, as shown.

10 denotes acover for the ends of the brackets and bearing on the underside of the same.

11 is a thumb-nut fitting the screw 9 and adapted to draw the shelf (5and cover 10 together and clamp the brackets between them, therebyholding the shelf securely upon the pins 5.

12 denotes a washer, against which the thumb-nut can be screwed. Thescrew-holding plate 8 need not fill vertically the space between theshelf and cover 10, and it does not therefore prevent these parts beingforced toward each other, so as to firmly pinch the brackets betweenthem.

As the brackets are rigidly secured to the legs and when clamped, asstated, are bound between the shelf and the cover, they hold the legs atfixed distances apart in a very firm manner, and any horizontal movementsuch as would result in the spreading of the legs is entirely precluded.

For transportation or storage the legs can be detached from the top asheretofore. The shelf can be separated by loosening the single nut 1.1.The legs and attached brackets can be packed side by side and the otherparts laid together and the whole table and shelf thus detached can bepacked in a small compass.

The single fastening-screw 9 and its nut 11 and the cooperatingfastening devices are easily and quickly manipulated and when in use areeffectually concealed.

No tool is required to take the article apart or to put it together, noris the use of glue necessary in such operation, and the surface finishof the article is not in danger of being either marred or smeared.

So-called knockdown tables have been heretofore proposed. In a priorconstruction the top and legs have been detachably secured together bya'centrally-situated rod interfering with the use of a shelf such asmine, and in one or more cases detachable connections have been made ator on the legs themse1ves,and such constructions are not of myinvention. My improvement comprises a shelf 6, cooperating with a bottomcover 10, and a screw and thumb-nut or the like to bind between saidshelf and cover suitable brackets projecting inwardly from the legs. Theshelf, aside from its more obvious functions, serves as an importantcooperating element of the fastening devices which are concealed by it.

The improved construction allows the legs to be set wide apart withoutnecessitating brackets of great length. Such result has heretofore beensecured by bending the legs inwardly or placing them comparatively neartogether. My shelf and cover 10 are practically extensions of thebrackets.

Having thus described my invention What I claim is 1. In aknockdowntable having detachable legs, the brackets extending inwardly from thelegs, a shelf having an unobstructed upper surface and resting upon theinner ends of the brackets, a cover on the under side of said ends, andmechanism to draw the shelf and cover together and clamp the ends of thebrackets, thereby binding the legs in fixed relation to each other, saidmechanism being attached to the under side of the shelf, substantiallyas described.

2. In a knockdown table having detachable FRANK BITTER.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN H. CHADsEY, \VM. F. LYON.

